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3GPP Release 15 established the first phase of 5G standardization: 5G New Radio (NR) and the 5G system architecture. Its key deployment distinction is between Non-Standalone (NSA), which uses NR with existing LTE and EPC infrastructure, and Standalone (SA), in which NR connects to a 5G Core (5GC).
What is 3GPP Release 15?
Release 15 is the first 3GPP standards release for 5G. It established the 5G NR radio technology and the system architecture for 5G Phase 1. The technical description is set out in ETSI TR 121 915 V15.0.0, corresponding to 3GPP TR 21.915 version 15.0.0 Release 15, published in October 2019 (ETSI TR 121 915 V15.0.0).
Release 15 is not a single document with one universal version number. It consists of many technical specifications, each with its own version history. For an exact version or date, check the record for the specific specification you need in the 3GPP specifications portal.
How do 5G NSA and SA differ?
The terms describe how NR fits into the wider mobile network, especially which core network it uses. They are architecture choices, not direct measures of a customer’s speed or coverage.
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| Architecture | Radio and core relationship | What the Release 15 report says |
|---|---|---|
| NSA (Non-Standalone) | NR works with existing LTE radio infrastructure and the Evolved Packet Core (EPC). | It can introduce NR without replacing the existing network. The described arrangement is also called E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity (EN-DC) or Architecture Option 3. |
| SA (Standalone) | NR connects to the 5G Core (5GC). | The report says the full set of 5G Phase 1 services is supported only in this configuration. |
These distinctions follow the Release 15 technical report (ETSI TR 121 915 V15.0.0). The ITU describes SA as a new radio access network and core architecture “without the necessity of an underlying 4G-network” (ITU overview of 5G deployment models).
Why the NSA and SA distinction matters
NSA can build on 4G infrastructure
Because NSA uses LTE and EPC alongside NR, an operator can add 5G NR while continuing to rely on its existing 4G network. It is therefore not the same architecture as a 5G system built around a 5G Core.
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SA uses the 5G Core
SA pairs NR with 5GC rather than depending on an underlying 4G core. In the Release 15 report, SA is the configuration that supports the full set of 5G Phase 1 services.
Architecture alone does not predict user experience
Knowing whether a network uses NSA or SA does not establish the speed, coverage or service an individual will experience. Those outcomes depend on the particular operator network and deployment; the architecture labels alone are not a performance comparison.
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What Release 15’s schedule tells you
A 3GPP workplan presentation published in 2017 listed the June 2018 TSG#80 meeting as a target for the Release 15 stage-3 freeze for NR and Next Generation system work, including SA (3GPP Release 15 workplan presentation). That date is a historical standards milestone in a planned schedule, not a statement about when a particular operator launched service or what is available today.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to use a Release 15 version label
A version number belongs to an individual specification record, not to Release 15 as a whole. If you are reading a standard for implementation, compliance or historical reference, identify the exact specification first, then use its own portal record and version history. A version displayed for one document should not be assumed to apply to every Release 15 specification.
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